#alps

#alps

I probably would have bailed halfway through (and lost all those bragging rights) if I weren't properly prepared. I had already learned the hard way during training for my trip, soaked and whimpering on the side of the trail without any fuel in my pack, ready to throw my hiking boots over a cliff like I was Reese Witherspoon in Wild. Turns out, getting the hiking gear right can make or break a hike.

European ski trips are a dream for many Americans, with bountiful stunning carving/groomer runs, wide and long valley trails, and gorgeous huts filling the resorts of the Alps.

Skiing is both a beloved pastime and a lifestyle throughout Europe, which means choosing a destination for a transatlantic ski trip can be a dizzying experience. While ski resorts can be found all over the continent, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and Norway are particularly renowned for their ski-friendly climates, terrain, and infrastructure. Villages like St. Moritz and Cortina d'Ampezzo have welcomed snow-seeking travelers for years.

In this context, Italy has the advantage of a portion of the Alps, a strip of about 1,200 km along the borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. The Italian Alpine region hosts most of the facilities that have been prepared over the past five years for the Winter Olympics, which will take place from February 6 to 22, 2026, followed by the Paralympic Games from March 6 to 15.

"Wengen is like stepping into a postcard-car-free streets, flower-draped chalets, and the towering presence of the Jungfrau above it all," Maurer tells Travel.